Managers see martial law a good signal to business

THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said it sees President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law for Mindanao to quash the terror acts committed by the Maute group as a good signal to the business community.

“The President made a decision that is very decisive and that sends a good signal definitely to the business community, because it was very decisive. He acted on it fast and he went back to Mindanao (from Russia where he was on an official visit). So I thought it was very good,” Perry Pe, MAP chairman of the national issues committee, said.

The presidential palace is expected to present to Congress the justification for Duterte’s declaration of martial law in the southern region as soon as possible.

For his part, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez told reporters in a Viber message that business will carry on as usual, and isolated lawless violence like the one that erupted in Marawi City “shall be quickly suppressed.”

Late on Tuesday, the President declared martial law for 60 days in Mindanao as the terror group Maute occupied parts of Marawi City.